Darley Stable’s homebred BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) raced with the pace in
Saturday’s $142,500
Withers S. (G3) at Aqueduct before surging to the front coming out
of the turn and drawing off for the 3 3/4-length win. With Javier Castellano in the
saddle, the Tom Albertrani-trained sophomore finished a mile on the fast dirt in
1:35 and paid out $5.70 and $4 as the 9-5 second choice.
Doc Cheney (Saint Ballado), who trailed in behind the front runners until the
turn, ranged up to be a clear second by 1 1/2 lengths over Luxembourg (Wild Rush),
giving back $4.80 at 5-1. The 3-4 exacta was worth $22.20, and Rob’em Blind (Robyn Dancer)
finished out the four-horse field.
Bernardini made his career debut in early January at Gulfstream Park,
finishing fourth, before breaking his maiden next out in March by 7 3/4 lengths
going a mile. He returned here to push his earnings to $110,480.
The Kentucky-bred bay is out of the Grade 1-winning Cara Rafaela
(Quiet American), who was second in the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1)
and third in the next year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1). The 13-year-old mare also
produced Ile de France (Storm Cat), who was third in the 2002 Santa Anita Oaks
(G1), and has an unraced juvenile filly named White Tiger and a 2006 filly, both
by Storm Cat. Cara Rafaela counts multiple Grade 3-winning sire Abaginone
(Devil’s Bag) as a half-brother.